Conventionally, games called shooting game have been widely known, and a great number of such games have been played. In terms of their types, there is a game in which a player causes a player character he controls to shoot a bullet at an enemy character by operating a controller, and there is a game in which a player shoots a target appearing on a screen by using a gun-shaped controller.
In a game apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3262769, for example, in order to shoot an enemy character having a plurality of targets, each of the plurality of targets is assigned a time that elapses before the enemy character disappears after it has been hit. Also, stage effects are provided in such a manner that the enemy character disappears quickly if a bullet hits a vital spot, and that the enemy character disappears slowly if a bullet hits a non-vital spot, for example.
Also, according to a game apparatus disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3262770, in order to make it possible to shoot an enemy character having a plurality of targets, each of the plurality of targets is assigned a time that elapses before the enemy character disappears after it has been hit, as in the case with the first reference. In addition, stage effects are provided in such a manner that, after a bullet has hit a prescribed target, the more times “additional shooting” is performed to successively shoot other targets, the more quickly the enemy character disappears as compared to the case of only one hit.
In both patent documents, however, when the player discovers the enemy character under cover and shoots a bullet at the target in the effective state, for example, he may also be shot and suffer damage. At this time, the player normally should recover from the damage before moving and shooting at the next enemy character. Nevertheless, the player sometimes forces himself to continuously shoot the enemy character while being damaged because this is a chance to attack the enemy character with the target in the effective state. Also, even if he is positioned in a place where he may receive damage only due to his presence (such as a barrier zone and a heated floor), when the enemy character appears randomly, the player sometimes takes this as an attacking chance and forces himself to take continuous shots at the enemy character while being continuously damaged.
For this reason, in playing the game, the player may partly feel frustrated and continuously shoot at the enemy character obsessively, even if he is damaged. Accordingly, playing the game may become less enjoyable compared to the original game.
Therefore, it is a feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment to provide a novel shooting game apparatus, a novel storage medium storing a shooting game program, and a novel target control method.
It is another feature of an exemplary illustrative embodiment to provide a shooting game apparatus, a storage medium storing a shooting game program, and a target control method which makes it possible to feel the original fun of shooting a target in a game of shooting a target that switches between an effective state in which a player is allowed to shoot the target, and an ineffective state in which the target is never hit even if the player shoots it.
A shooting game apparatus according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a shooting game apparatus provided with at least a display means and an operating means in which a player plays a game by operating the operating means to shoot a target displayed on the display means. This shooting game apparatus comprises a target state control means, a target image generation means and a player state determination means. The target state control means controls switching of the target between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack hits the same, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack hits the same. The target image generation means displays on the display means an image that is different when the target is in the ineffective state and when the target is in the effective state. The player state determination means determines at least whether or not the player is in a state of being continuously damaged. Additionally, the target state control means switches the target to the ineffective state when the player state determination means determines that the player is in the state of being continuously damaged in the case where the target is in the effective state.
More specifically, a shooting game apparatus (10) according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment comprises a display means (14) and an operating means (16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 42). In this game apparatus, a player plays a shooting game by operating the operating means to shoot a target displayed on the display means. A target state control means (40, 60, S1, S11) controls switching the target between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack hits it, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack hits it. A target image generation means (40, 70) displays an image on the display means that is different when the target is in the ineffective state and when the target is in the effective state. A player state determination means (40, 62, S23, S27) determines at least whether or not the player is in a state of receiving continuous damage. Additionally, a target state control means (S25) switches the target to the ineffective state when the player state determination means determines that the player is in the state of being continuously damaged in a case where the target is in the effective state. According to this game apparatus, therefore, when the player is in the state of continuously suffering damage, the target is brought into the ineffective state and the player's shooting operation would become useless. This provides the player with an opportunity to extricate himself from a situation where he suffers damage, and thus he can focus his energy on escaping from the state of being continuously damaged. Consequently, it becomes possible to allow the player to fully experience the original fun of shooting the target without having feeling frustrated.
In one aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game apparatus further comprises a player position storage means (40, 84) for storing at least a position where the player can take a shot in a game space. The player state determination means determines that the player is in the state of continuously receiving damage when the position stored in the player position storage means is a prescribed one. Thus, the target enters into the ineffective state when the player is positioned in such a place as he is continuously damaged, which provides him with an opportunity to move from the place he suffers damage. As a consequence, it is possible to offer the player the original fun of shooting game without causing him to feel frustrated.
In another aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game apparatus further comprises a player character generation means and a non-player character generation means. The player character generation means (40, 70) generates and displays a player character (100) on the display means. The non-player character generation means (40, 70) generates and displays a non-player character (102) on the display means. Additionally, the target image generation means displays a target (106) on the non-player character. So, this makes it possible to play a shooting game with the player character and the non-player character such as an enemy character, displayed. The player can determine that an attack against the non-player character is in an effective state or in an ineffective state while keeping an eye on the target displayed on the non-player character. Thus, even when the player character is brought into the state of being continuously damaged, the player can see the non-player character to make sure that it is in the ineffective state. Accordingly, the player can feel safe in concentrating on escaping from the state in which he suffers damage.
In still another aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game apparatus further comprises a non-player character position storage means. The non-player character position storage means (40, 86) stores a position of the non-player character in a game space. In addition, the target state control means is activated when a relationship between the position stored in the player position storage means and the position stored in the non-player character position storage means becomes a prescribed one. In this exemplary illustrative embodiment, for example, when the player and the non-player character exist in places of equal height or come close to each other within a range of certain distance, control over switching of the target between the effective and ineffective states is started (S1, S23, S25, S27, S29). Thus, the target is activated only when the player and the non-player character are in a prescribed position relationship, and it is thus possible to increase an interesting factor of the shooting game by adding thrill, and to give consideration to the player so that he does not have to feel frustrated.
A shooting game apparatus according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a shooting game apparatus provided with at least a display means and an operating means in which a player plays a game by operating the operating means to shoot a target displayed on the display means. This shooting game apparatus comprises a player character display control means, a non-player character display control means, a player character position storage means, a target state control means, and a target image generation means. The player character display control means displays and controls an image of a player character on the display means, based on input from the operating means. The non-player character display control means displays and controls an image of a non-player character on the display means. The player character position storage means stores a position of the player character in a game space. The target state control means controls switching the target between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack hits it, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack hits it. The target image generation means displays an image on the non-player character that is different when the target in the ineffective state and when the target is in the effective state. In addition, the target state control means switches the target to the ineffective state when a prescribed position is stored in the player character position storage means in a case where the target is in the effective state.
More specifically, as in case of the above described exemplary illustrative game apparatus, a shooting game is played with the player character and the non-player character displayed, and the target is displayed on the non-player character. Then, when the prescribed position is stored in the player character position storage means (40, 84) in a case where the target is in the effective state, the target is switched to the ineffective state. Thus, according to this game apparatus, since the target is switched to the ineffective state when the player character is located in the prescribed position, the player is given an opportunity to move from the prescribed position. Consequently, as in the case of the above noted game apparatus, it is possible to make the player experience the original pleasure of shooting the target to the full extent without becoming irritated.
In one aspect of an exemplary illustrative embodiment, the game apparatus further comprises a game field generation means for generating a game field for playing a shooting game in which at least the player character and the non-player character are displayed, and for displaying the same on the display means. The game field generation means (40, 70) generates at least a first area (108) where the player character is continuously damaged and a second area where the player character is never damaged in the game field. When a position included in the first area is stored in the player character position storage means in the case where the target is in the effective state, the target state control means switches the target to the ineffective state. Accordingly, since the target is switched to the ineffective state when the player character is positioned in the first area of the game field and is continuously damaged, the player can concentrate on moving from the first area. This makes it possible to offer the player the original fun of shooting the target without causing him to feel frustrated.
In one exemplary illustrative embodiment, after switching the target into the ineffective state, the target state control means holds the target in the ineffective state until a position included in the second area is stored in the player character position storage means (e.g., until the player character relocates to a place where it never receives any damage). As a consequence, since an attack never enters into the effective state until the player character moves to a place where it is never damaged, the player can feel safe to focus on moving from such a place as he continues to receive damage. It is therefore possible to provide the player with the primary fun of shooting the target without forcing him to become irritated.
A storage medium storing a shooting game program according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a storage medium storing a shooting game program for allowing a game apparatus provided with at least a display means, an operating means, and a processing means to function as a shooting game apparatus in which a player plays a game by operating the operating means to shoot a target displayed on the display means. This shooting game program causes a computer of the game apparatus to execute a target state control step, a target image generation step, and a player state determination step. The target state control step controls switching the target between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack hits it, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack hits it. The target image generation step displays an image on the display means that is different when the target is in the ineffective state and when the target is in the effective state. The player state determination step determines at least whether or not the player is in a state of being continuously damaged. Additionally, the target state control step switches the target to the ineffective state when the player state determination step determines that the player is in the state of being continuously damaged when the target is in the effective state.
Like the above described shooting game apparatus, this storage medium storing the shooting game program can switch the target to the ineffective state when the player is in the state of being continuously damaged. This provides the player with an opportunity to escape from the state of receiving damage, which makes it possible to make the player experience the original fun of shooting the target without feeling frustrated.
A target control method according to an exemplary illustrative embodiment is a target control method of controlling a target by a computer of a shooting game apparatus in which a player plays a game by operating an operating means to shoot the target displayed on a display means. This target control method includes a target state control step, a target image generation step, and a player state determination step. In the target state control step, switching of the target is controlled between an ineffective state of being never damaged even if an attack hits it, and an effective state of being damaged if an attack hits it. In the target image generation step, displayed on the display means is an image that is different when the target is in the ineffective state and when the target is in the effective state. In the player state determination step, it is determined at least whether or not the player is in a state of being continuously damaged. Additionally, in the target state control step, the target is switched to the ineffective state when it is determined in the player state determination step that the player is in the state of being continuously damaged when the target is in the effective state.
Like the above described stated shooting game apparatus and the storage medium, this target control method allows the player to fully experience the original enjoyment of the shooting game.
According to an exemplary illustrative embodiment, when the player is in a place where he is continuously damaged or in a state of suffering continuous damage, the target is switched to the ineffective state. Thus no matter how the player makes an attack, the target is never damaged, and so the operation of attacking the target becomes useless. Thus, there arises an opportunity for the player to escape from the situation in which he is continuously damaged. Accordingly, the player can direct his energy towards getting away from a place or a state in which he sustains continuous damage. As a result, it is possible to allow the player to have the original pleasure of shooting the target in the shooting game without having to feel frustrated.